Background of the Study

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

English appears to be the language mostly used to transfer the development of almost all aspects of life especially science and technology. In this global era, mastering this language is considered very important to keep up with these developments. Hamied 2003:14 stated that English, in this information technology era which is growing very fast, plays very strategic and important roles in the whole society. He further noted that according to the NEC Research Institutes 2000, 86, 55 of the world information is transferred in English. Seeing this phenomenon, the Indonesian government feels that its people need to have the competence in using this language. The States Policy GBHN 1999-2004 put foreign language in a very important position in national education context Lengkanawati 2003:64. In consequence, the language is made one of the compulsory subjects taught at junior and senior high schools. Students in Indonesia have English as their compulsory subject to learn in the formal schools starting from their first year of junior high school. However, in certain areas such as in big cities, many of them have even been familiar to this language since they are in their elementary schools. Those schools have included English in their curriculum as the local content to teach to the students. The 2004 English curriculum, the curriculum suggested by the government, states that the main target of English language learning for the students of junior high 2 school is to have the discourse competence; the ability to communicate both in oral or written language in a communication event Depdiknas, 2004:8. The curriculum further elaborates that to reach this competence needs the support of several competences, namely: the socio-cultural competence, the linguistic competence, the actional competence, and the strategic competence. The socio-cultural competence refers to the ability to convey messages appropriately according to the cultural contexts where and when the communication happens. The linguistic competence refers to the ability to understand the language features and to apply them appropriately. The actional competence refers to the ability to use the language in the real communication both in oral and written and the strategic competence refers to the skills and abilities of the language user to apply many kinds of strategy in communication. In addition to these competences, the curriculum also includes positive attitudes towards learning English as one important aspect students should possess Depdiknas, 2004:48. Approaches and methods of teaching and learning English in Indonesian schools, particularly in junior and senior high school level, have evolved and developed through time. The government has done many efforts to make the English teaching and learning in these levels of school more effective. The curriculum makers, hand in hand with teachers, have tried to find the best ways to teach this language to the students to get the best learning outcome. The curriculum has been changed and teachers are upgraded with up-to-date methods and best practices on how to teach the language in the classroom effectively. 3 However, the result of teaching and learning process for this subject in most Indonesian high schools, especially in junior high school level, is still far from being satisfactory. All of these efforts cannot largely improve the students’ achievement in learning the language. Students’ English mastery, after their study for three years or even more, is considered very low. Many junior high schools students failing in their National Examination UAN in this subject for the passing grade of 4.25 is one indication. There are many factors believed to have contributed to this condition. One of them is the student factor. The students, as the subject who learn the language, hold very important keys for the success of learning their second language. Factors such as students’ learning strategies and their attitude towards learning a foreign language are thought to be beneficial to the second language learning. As the parts of student factor, students’ attitude towards learning and their strategies in learning English are considered to be essential to determine the success of learning the language. Having certain strategies and good attitudes towards learning a second language is believed to be advantageous for second language learners. Learners with those two features are assumed to be more successful in their language learning. Dansereau states in Oxford 1993:10 that some researches on learning foreign language come up with the results which show that some of the best learners use affective and social strategies to control their emotional state, to keep themselves motivated on-task, and to get help when they need it. Language Learning Strategies LLS are believed to help learners to cope with the problems they face in learning a foreign language. Oxford 1990:17 indicated that successful foreign language learners employ either direct strategies i.e., 4 memory, cognitive, and compensation or indirect strategies i.e., metacognitive, affective, and social strategies. In line with this, OMalley and Chamot 1984 in K.Orr 1999:132 explained that the most common finding is that the use of appropriate LLS leads to the improvement of proficiency or achievement in specific or overall skill areas. Some findings of relevant strategy research outside of the L2 field have also shown the powerful role of learning strategies in improving students learning outcome. The present study seeks to reveal the language learning strategies employed by students of junior high school especially those of students categorized as good language learners in learning English. It is also to find the relationship between the LLS they use with their achievement in learning the language. In relation with the 2004 English curriculum for junior high school, this study is also intended to uncover if students’ LLS are relevant to the strategic competence and good attitude towards learning English it proposes.

1.2 Statement of the Problems